I’m currently living in Paris’s 11th arrondissement, which is sprinkled with a delightful mix of buzzy restaurants, quaint natural wine bars, and independent clothing boutiques — in other words, it attracts a super stylish crowd. So naturally, one of my favorite activities is sitting on a terrace with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, taking note of what the cool French girls are wearing. And lately, they’ve been providing me with a lot of style inspo.

Since Paris has been boasting spring-like temps for a few weeks now, locals have started to debut their new season looks. What do I see? Of course, they’re still sporting classic French girl essentials, like a trench, white button-up shirt, and straight-leg jeans — but many are also having a bit more fun with their everyday wardrobe by injecting it with subtle trends and swapping their traditional go-tos for fresher upgrades. 

Below are the five spring 2024 trends Parisians are already wearing.

Interesting Trench Coats

Untraditional trenches are cropping up across the city, as women swap their classic beige knee-length styles for standout alternatives in various silhouettes and colors. One popular style is a cropped version, like this Mango number or this Favorite Daughter option, which I’ve seen most often paired with wide-leg jeans and chunky boots. For those who prefer a longer silhouette, some French women are opting for trenches in an unexpected color or fabric, like this pigeon blue AllSaints pick or this black leather Madewell option. On one recent rainy night, I spotted a woman wearing a patent trench coat that looked both incredibly chic and undeniably sensible (the droplets literally bounced right off of her). It looked similar to this pistachio green Amazon find, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Sleek Midi Skirts

A midi skirt has always been a classic French girl look (think: Brigitte Bardot’s full checkered skirt), but it’s gotten a bit of a sexy makeover with styles that boast a more fitted silhouette, a high slit and/or a supple texture. I’m seeing slinky slip skirts, like the Layton skirt from Madewell or this satin pick from Mango, which French and American girls alike enjoy teaming with a chunky knit — but I’m also seeing them worn with a buttoned-up denim jacket. I’ve also spotted suede or corduroy numbers, like this Amazon find, worn with boots and a cropped jacket. For more comfortable, casual skirts, there are knitted ones like this Amazon find and denim skirts (shorter than the lengthy ones we’ve seen in the U.S. over the past year or two), like this pick from Mother, paired with an oversized T-shirt for a casual, not-too-prim look.

Chunky Jewelry

At a recent lunch at the trendy Chez George in the 2nd arrondissement, I couldn’t stop glancing over at the woman at the table next to me — her fingers were adorned with several chunky gold rings, similar to Monica Vinader’s Nura Wrap Ring and Madewell’s Amazonite pick. Since then I’ve noticed not only bold rings on French women, but more statement-y necklaces and earrings too — necklaces like Ettika’s Puffy Heart and Disc Pendant, and earrings like J.Crew’s Rounded Chain Link pair. Nordstrom’s fashion director predicted that oversized jewelry will be a popular spring 2024 trend, and it seems like Parisians are already on board.

Sheer Tops

While pants, everywhere, seem to be getting larger, the tops we wear with them seem to be getting sheerer — at least, they are in Paris. French girls are balancing oversized bottoms with slightly more revealing tops in fitted silhouettes similar to the Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Lopez-worn Intimissimi Boat Neck top, this sheer bodysuit from Amazon, and Free People’s Lady Lux shirt (which is selling out fast, BTW). I’ve also spotted looser, button-down silhouettes like this Open Edit style or Reformation’s Will shirt.

Statement Socks

These are not the “fun socks” you’d catch a glimpse of on millennial corporate guys in the mid 2010s. Instead, I’ve seen French girls, similar to their American counterparts, infusing a pair of subtle, statement socks into their otherwise classic, minimalist looks. Think vibrant colors with loafers, like Stem’s buttery yellow pair or Amazon’s ribbed tomato red ones, and sheer or frilly styles, like Free People’s Rose Garden Socks, these hosiery socks, or coquette-like silhouettes.